On Mon, Nov 24, 2008 at 12:55 PM, Mark J. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > ... or maybe > even ceasing as a broadcast network and going to cable and selling the > once-license-to-print-money owned-stations (don't laugh there, > remember that NBC and to a major extent ABC/Disney are out of the > radio biz):
In the early summer I put James Poniewozik's Time blog in my RSS feed for a couple of weeks and one of his commenters suggested the broadcast networks could get a more even playing field by becoming cable channels. I thought it unworkable at the time, as affiliates are pumping a lot of money into upgrading their news studios to HDTV, and they'd hold on to their affiliate agreement contracts at any cost. Let's put it this way: the networks won't put O&Os on the market now as nobody would pay anything knowing that the station they'd buy would have only local news produced there. If the networks tried to breach their affiliate agreements, those station groups would fight it tooth and nail. The only scenario which could make it possible is a radical restructuring of the media parent companies under a bankruptcy. If that happens, over the air TV becomes PBS, local news, syndicated programs, and infomercials. I wonder how long that would be viable. Tom W --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Like TV only smarter. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
